THE UNION EDUCATION CODE

The union Education Code clarifies and details the role and responsibilities of people, committees, school boards, local conferences, and unions. Superintendents of schools are expected to disseminate and/or make available the most current digital copy of the code.

Each union conference has an Education Code that is a compilation of policies and provisions that are related to the:

  • establishment,
  • organization,
  • administration,
  • operation, and
  • maintenance of the Seventh-day Adventist church-school system.

Administrators of schools, conferences, and unions, along with boards of education, work cooperatively to develop and update the policies contained in the Education Code.  In instances where the code is silent, conferences and schools may work collaboratively to:

  • develop policies, procedures, or practices to meet local needs.
  • recommend policy adoption to the union for inclusion in the Education Code.

Superintendents should have a working knowledge of:

  • curriculum needs and requirements.
  • Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC).
  • employment policies.
  • establishing and closing of schools.
  • financial information (understanding/developing budgets, audits, and financial statements).
  • graduation requirements—elementary and secondary.
  • Home and School Association—role and function.
  • legal issues.
  • organizational structure of junior and senior academies.
  • personnel management.
  • promoting Adventist education—marketing and recruiting.
  • relationship of church and school.
  • school evaluations and accreditation.
  • Seventh-day Adventist educational philosophy/objectives.
  • superintendent’s  responsibilities.

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4. The Union Education Code

PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENTS

The following are excerpts that pertain to major duties and responsibilities as listed in the Superintendent of Schools Job Description:

Spiritual Leadership

  • Maintain a strong personal relationship with Christ.
  • Seek to live a balanced life that honors God, family, and your ministry.
  • Pray earnestly for the education ministry.
  • Support the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church through education ministry.
  • Encourage and nurture conference education personnel in their personal spiritual journey.

General Administration

  • Administer and supervise the conference education program.
  • Act as liaison between conference administration and school/church constituencies.
  • Prepare the conference education calendar.
  • Carry out school evaluations.
  • Process applications for new schools.

Curriculum Leadership

  • Implement union and NAD curriculum policies.
  • Initiate and/or participate in pilot studies in cooperation with union and NAD offices of education.
  • Initiate, encourage, and evaluate innovative, research-based programs.

Supervision of Instruction

  • Provide classroom supervision to ensure quality education.
  • Provide professional growth opportunities.
  • Promote circulation of The Journal of Adventist Education.

Marketing Christian Education

  • Promote Adventist education throughout the conference.
  • Compile data pertinent for promotion of Adventist education.
  • Encourage and collaborate with schools in the creation of marketing and development plans.

Code Awareness

  • Have a working knowledge of the union Education Code.
  • Develop policies or practices that meet local educational needs where there is no union code provision.
  • Actively participate in the recommendation, adoption, and inclusion of policy in the union Education Code.

Legal Issues

  • Be acquainted with conference, state, federal and Adventist Risk Management (ARM) requirements dealing with health and safety.
  • Immediately notify local administration, legal, and ARM when issues arise that may lead to legal action.
  • Be acquainted with local and regional child abuse reporting requirements.

Personnel Recruitment and Employment

  • Implement a plan for evaluation and supervision of educational personnel.
  • Serve as chair or a member of the personnel committee of each school board.
  • Consult with school boards to determine personnel needs.
  • Make employment recommendations to the board of education.
  • Distribute annual employment contracts/agreements.

Financial Leadership

  • Counsel with local school boards on annual budgets.
  • Ensure that all schools are audited annually.
  • Conduct annual audit of salaries of education personnel.
  • Submit annual education budget to conference administration.

Teacher Certification

  • Check with prospective employees about certification status before employment. (The union registrar will be very helpful with this process.)
  • Work with union registrar to make sure transcripts and certification records are legitimate and up-to-date for each employee.